Whether you're relaxing at the snail-shaped Kastrup Sea Bath or taking a harbour dip at Kalvebod Bølge, Copenhagen is a paradise for swimmers. Copenhagen’s lifeblood is saltwater: the ribbon of blue makes its way from the former shipyards at Refshaleøen through the ancient heart of the city and out to the clear waters of the Øresund Strait at the other end. No matter where you are in the Danish capital, you’re never far from it.
After a concerted effort to clean up the harbour in the 1990s, this blue heart of the city was transformed into a playground for people young and old. Commuters ride the bright-yellow electric harbour ferries as swans glide, seals frolic and cormorants dive to the depths. It’s an urban fishing destination, a paddleboarder’s playground, and above all else, a paradise for swimmers who cut holes in the ice in winter and throw themselves in headfirst all summer long in the many floating pools.
One thing’s for sure: if you’re coming to Copenhagen, don’t forget your swim kit. It’s a great way to meet the locals. Of the many places to take a dip in the city, these eight are the best.
Even if you don't swim, it’s worth taking a trip to Kastrup Sea Bath , or as locals call it, "Sneglen" (The Snail). Shaped like a snail shell – or the swirl of a Danish pastry – it sits at the end of a wooden bridge 100m out into the Øresund. On a clear day, Sweden glimmers on the other side of this channel, fed by the Baltic Sea.
The structure has a cu.